


The Prince

by Lovemet123



Category: Super Mario & Related Fandoms
Genre: A Story Worth Reading, Amnesia, Drama & Romance, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-01
Updated: 2018-10-03
Packaged: 2019-07-21 03:17:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16151402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lovemet123/pseuds/Lovemet123
Summary: After a devastating loss, a young koopa ends up with amnesia and will now go on an adventure to find himself.





	1. The Battle

Echoes of laughter filled the hallways of Bowser's Castle, gradually becoming louder as minions approached the gigantic double doors. They look at each other before coming to a decision. Putting their hands on the doors and, with as much force as they managed to muster, pushed them open. The two Koopa Troopas came forward and knelt down before their king.

"Lord Bowser."

The big turtle stood up with his arms crossed, a cocky smile on his face.

"So, have you brought good news? As you can see, I am in the middle of an important discussion."

Bowser put a hand out to the cage hanging next to him. Inside of it was none other than Peach Toadstool, princess of the Mushroom Kingdom. This wasn't the first time she had been kidnapped by the big brute, and it definitely won't be the last, much to the princess's annoyance, which is greatly shown on her face. Time and time again, he manages to take her and the end result has always been that he is defeated by Mario and Luigi. The question becomes if he will ever realize the results will never change?

"Uh…not quite your Surliness." One of the koopas spoke up before nervously adding. "Mario and Luigi have broken into the castle."

Bowser closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. He felt like a vein could pop out of his skull from pure frustration. He could feel the fire of killing intent grow more destructive, replaying that message in his head over and over. The many times he has had to hear those words he wanted to encompass their necks in his palms and rid them of the air they breathe, but he refrains from doing so as he unfortunately still needs them

"You came…all this way...just to tell me THAT!?"

The deep boom in Bowser's voice made everyone in the room jump, including Peach. Bowser knew how to throw good temper tantrums when he doesn't get his way or if any of plans do not go right. Everyone could see just how mighty he was when pissed.

"You act like that is even news around here anymore. Return to your posts at once, and do not come back if you can not produce to me a captured Mario and Luigi. Understood!?"

The koopas nodded quickly and scurried away. Bowser took a deep breath and sat back down on his throne, trying to calm himself. He wondered to himself how his troops manage to function on a daily basis if that statement is something they perceived as important.

"You won't win this, you know."

Bowser looked up at the cage and grinned, excited to hear such sass from the princess. It sometimes amused him how much fight he can hear the princess has but sees that she obviously can't do much about it if anything at all.

"You know Peach, it is useless for you to keep fighting me. At some point, you will be mine, and so will your kingdom."

"In your dreams. I would never marry a monster like you." Peach refused. Bowser gave a loud, hearty laugh. Peach felt like her words were not getting through to Bowser as he was clearly dismissing her refusal. "You think you have a choice in the matter? You are a princess. I am a king. I can rule without a queen, but you cannot rule without a king. You will marry me and you will hand your kingdom to me."

Peach only crossed her arms. Bowser was certainly right that she cannot properly rule over her kingdom without a king, but she is still not willing to hand it to him.

"I will marry whomever I believe is right to rule my kingdom. Your tyranny towards my people is unacceptable."

Bowser rolled his eyes and chuckled. They have been over this many times, having the same conversation.

"Do you think I give a damn about what your people think about my rule, Princess? You know I only live for one reason, World Domination. The planet is my oyster to explore, and I will seize it for myself."

Peach could only sigh at the empty words that were being tossed her way. She hoped something or someone would come to rescue her from another one of Bowser's lectures and trash talking, which seemed to be the only thing he was getting better at. As if someone was answering her prayer, there came a loud bang in the distance and a child's laughter

"Heh heh, looks like my boy found me again. He is definitely a chip off the old block if I do say so myself."

Bowser watched as his son charges in, some of the soldiers chasing after him. Bowser Koopa Junior, a mischievous little boy modeled after his father. He had been playing hide and seek with the king, though he was not able to tell that his dad had other ideas when he agreed to play with him. Not that he minded. As fast as his legs could carry him, the little koopa ran to the middle of the room and pointed at Bowser.

"Ha! I found you, Papa. Now it is your turn to find me."

Bowser gave a small chuckle, ruffling the red hair that sat atop the green skull. Before anything else was said, Bowser Jr. noticed the princess in the cage. Something that never made sense to the young heir was the fact that every time she 'visited', she had to be locked up. Crossing his arms, he opened his mouth and said something that put Bowser in an uncomfortable position.

"Papa, why do we always have to have mama Peach locked up every time she comes here? I know she isn't my mama, but you said she would get to play with me too."

Bowser could feel sweat trying to break out through his tough reptilian skin as the question loomed in the air. Bowser never explained the importance of Peach being in a cage, feeling that doing so would reveal a side of him Jr. was very unaware of. He decided he would try and approach this topic carefully, hoping that once they were finished, Bowser Jr. would still have no idea what was actually going on, but would be okay with it happening anyway.

"Well son, you see-!"

Before he could begin, the doors were busted open by the red and green duo that annoyed Bowser to no end. All eyes proceeded to give them attention as Mario walked forward, Luigi following closely behind. Both of the bros gave all the others the feeling of danger as if they were ready to strike.

"Bowser! We have come for the princess, yet again. Return her back to her people!"

Bowser grit his teeth. He was tired of seeing the two brothers succeed in reaching their way to the castle. He wished they would stop following him and let him go on with conquering the Mushroom Kingdom, but Bowser knew they wouldn't leave it at that and would continue to pursue him when the princess is kidnapped.

"You pesky plumbers. How dare you come into MY castle and declare me to give up MY princess and what is soon to be MY kingdom."

Mario got in his battle stance as Bowser rose from his golden throne. The man in red knew he was going to have to fight the turtle-like creature again. It discomposed him to no end how anyone keeps stealing a princess and then gets their ass handed to them on a silver platter, only to return and take her again. He wished himself that he had a way to end this constant cycle as quickly as he would end this battle in victory. He turned to his brother.

"I need you to go and get Peach out. I will handle Bowser."

Luigi hesitated at first but decided that his brother could handle himself, having done so many times before. He nodded and separated himself from Mario. Bowser stepped down and mirrored Mario's action, smoke flowing out of his nostrils.

Before Luigi could reach the large cage, a cannonball shot towards Luigi that hit him directly on his side, sending him flying into the wall. Luigi underwent heaping amounts of pain from the strike but slowly recovered. The green adorned bro scanned around to find the offender in a mini clown cruiser, which blocked the way to the cage

"Don't you dare touch Mama Peach! I won't let you take her, again!"

Luigi brushed the dirt and debris off of himself and shot forward. Bowser Jr. opened the mouth of the clown car and blasted a couple more cannonballs, which Luigi barely managed to dodge and readied his own green fireball. He moved behind Bowser Jr. and launched his attack, only for the little koopa to counter it with a swing of his metal mallet. Luigi shot some more quick fireballs as he raced to the princess, the young prince following behind. He jumped and kicked up against the wall and to the cage grabbing onto the bars.

"Heh, so it does help to watch my brother from time to time."

Peach felt numerous signs of relief seeing him.

"Luigi! The cage is locked. There is a key at the very top of the pole."

She pointed up, Luigi's eyes following its direction. Sure enough, there was a gigantic key floating atop the cage's antenna. Luigi was unimpressed by the typical, almost predictable hiding spot the big Koopa chose.

"Either he has run out of good hiding spots or he really isn't trying this time around," Luigi noted as he climbed up the cage's bars. Bowser Jr aimed his cannon and set off a barrage of cannonballs, all missing Luigi.

"Hey, it is dangerous to be shooting things like that at someone who is trying to climb to get something."

Bowser Jr. gnashed his teeth together at the unintentional taunt. He hated the bros, always trying to take what is important and beating him and his father. Luigi inched closer and Bowser Jr. took out a hammer from his clown car. The little turtle chucked it and watched it fly toward the younger bro.

Luigi saw the hammer coming his way and did the only thing he could think to do. He stuck his hand out and to his surprise, caught the handle of the iron mallet, the force of the hammer spinning him around the pole a bit. Keeping his grip on the pole, Luigi tossed the hammer in the other hand and sent it flying back to Bowser Jr., knocking him out of the Clown Car.

Bowser caught sight of him and ran to the unconscious koopa kid, calling his name. Mario couldn't stand to see this and went up to the worried father.

"Bowser, this has to stop. Can't you see how much trouble you are causing for yourself? And now his life is in peril!"

Mario saw Kamek out of the corner of his eye and dodged the magikoopa's attack. The determined protector faced the King's right-hand koopa.

"How dare you speak to your future king that way." Mario grit his teeth and he readied himself to fight again.

Luigi slid down the pole back to Peach's cage and unlocked the door. He took her hand and they jumped from the cage to the floor safely. They met up with Mario and started after the exit. However, they were stopped by the troops pouring in, forcing them to the back, against the wall.

Surrounded and unsure of what to do, Mario opened his arms in protection of his brother and the princess.

"This is the end of the line for you, Mario, and your precious friends."

The three braced for a big attack from the magikoopa until it was stopped by Bowser, much to the confusion of everyone in the room. Bowser's eyes were red from the obvious tears he had shed, and his presence was giving off ominous vibes to all, especially Kamek.

"Back off! That plumber is mine. I am going to incinerate you into ash!"

Bowser's rage was unlike any anger he had shown before. The troops wanted to back away from this dangerous scene being played out, but they dared not move as to not face the same treatment. Bowser was too irate to hear a faint "papa" call him.

The little koopa was regaining consciousness, his eyes slowly opening and his body beginning to move again. Taking one step after the other, he tried to balance himself on his feet. Almost immediately, he felt a chill down his spine. Despite his head hurting, his vision blurry, and his hearing deafened, he called out a little louder. "Papa?"

Bowser unfortunately still couldn't hear his son as he took a breath so large, his stomach quickly expanded. WIth one big blow, the Koopa King unleashed a gigantic fireball hurling it toward Mario at a great speed. Mario waited for it to get closer and took out the yellow cape he had on hand, waving it once and sending the fireball back.

Bowser didn't anticipate the small man bringing a reflector weapon with him but nonetheless jumped out of the way. Only now did he realize just how big his projectile was as his tail was barely scorched. He watched the fireball rush toward its next victim.

Bowser Jr. wobbled trying to keep himself still as his senses started coming back. When his sight came back, he saw a huge ball of fire heading straight for him. Alas, it was a bit late for him to do anything with the last thing in his vision been his father, who only watched in horror.

Troops outside of the castle jump as the wall of the throne room of the castle was blasted to smithereens. None of them noticed a small child being thrown from the area with great force. He soared through the sky, completely blacking out.

Bowser heard his own heart shatter as he just witnessed an explosion that wiped away one of the VERY few people he actually cared about. The waterworks began again, unable to make a move or a sound.

The troops were also paralyzed from the scene that just played out. Kamek put a comforting hand on his king, who surprisingly pulled him into a tight hug as he finds his voice, letting out a cry no one was familiar with. All they could do was bow in silence as they mourned for the could-have-been future heir.

Mario tightened his grip, wanting so much to sucker-punch his rival for a careless attack. He never wanted any battle to end like this, despite the many things Bowser had done to them. Luigi cupped Mario's shoulder and led him and Peach to the exit. Mario looked back one last time at the grieving monster before finally turning away and heading home.


	2. Chapter 2

It had been a long, agonizing couple hours since the accident, one in which Bowser couldn't do much about. Tears streamed down his face, hurt and anger filling every inch of his body like the blood rushing through his veins. His nails dug into the ground below him, as if ready to pull up the surface layer of the Earth. His mouth became dry and found it increasingly difficult to breathe. This was a moment the king truly wished to disappear from the world that surrounded him.

"L-Lord Bowser?"

He picked his head at the call of his name by a troopa who seemed frightened when approaching him, though shifted his timid expression to a more sorrowful one as his dark blue eyes dived into Bowser's shaking red eyes. Silence filled the space between the two before the smaller koopa presented an item. Bowser's eyes immediately went wide recognizing the item as a small cloth. It was Jr's handkerchief almost burnt to a crisp, the colors that made a picture of a mouth turned black.

"I-I apologize for bothering you about this, sir. W-We found it outside in the courtyard and t-thought you may have wanted it b-back."

Without his notorious aggression, Bowser weakly reached for it and took it back. He looked down at it and started recalling all of the wonderful memories he had with his son. Though they were usually up to no good, they were still memories he cherished, the most important memory being when Bowser Jr. was finally introduced to his rival back on Delfino Island.

"Don't worry, my king. We will capture them and give them a punishment equal to this unforgivable crime."

Clenching the handkerchief ever so tightly, a low growl was released and Bowser snapped a look at Kamek. So much rage and hatred mixed with tears that fell from his face, Bowser was ready to do more than give a punishment knowing that there wasn't one horrible enough to equal losing his son. His rival had taken a lot from him, more than anyone really knows, but this was absolutely unacceptable.

"I want to see bloodshed. I want to hear him screaming his lungs out. I want to smell his skin burning. I want to make his demise slow and painful."

Kamek was taken aback by this. He had never seen his king this angry before, even if the anger is justified. He slightly worried about the effect of this unbelievable tragedy. The magikoopa lowered his head as he heard the most ear-piercing roar ever.

"I want him DEAD!"

A couple hours after the sun slowly set, a party lit the night, with toads of all shapes and sizes gathering in celebration of another successful rescue. Peach had given one of her many speeches that followed the accomplishment and a huge cake was brought out.

There were cheers and hollers everywhere and the bright lights dazzled in the area. It seemed like everyone was having a good time. Everyone, expect Mario that is.

The man sat away from the group with a look of distress written all over his face. He kept replaying the memory of Bowser Jr. simply disappearing from the world by an attack that should have hit him. The very moment he saw Bowser vulnerable for the first time in years. No one knew this, but the massacre of the son of his greatest rival is what was actually causing him sadness. He could only bring himself to wonder if there had been another way any of this could have ended.

Mario felt a hand land on his shoulder and glanced at his younger brother, who had a concerned expression. He seemed to be one of two people to notice the hero's absence from the party; the other being Peach who approached the brothers.

"Are you OK, bro? What's the matter?"

Mario didn't answer, having felt that Luigi already knew what was bothering him, which The Green Wonder did manage to pick up on. Peach, however, was not able to do the same as she made her presence known.

"Are you upset about Bowser Jr?"

Mario sighed at the question, only feeling uneasy by the mention of the name.

"No, I'm upset because Moo Moo Farms is closed and now I can't get milk."

The man in red rolled his eyes, his sarcasm hinting that he really didn't want to be bothered. Peach, while understanding the train of thought her dear friend was on, would not allow it to keep him from moving on. She pulled him up from the washup log he sat on, much to her friend's displeasure

"Come on. Let's take a walk."

The three had been walking along the shoreline, feeling the gentle breezes and hearing the waves splash against the sand and retracting back into the ocean. The silence between them, despite the calming atmosphere, was beginning to make Mario uncomfortable.

"...I just… I just can't believe it actually happened. He was completely blown away without much of a chance to defend himself."

"Mario, I understand that you are angry with what happened. I don't blame you for it. While defeating them was the main objective, you always made sure that his child's safety was a priority." Mario looked up at the princess as she went on.

"However, Bowser is very stubborn, making it difficult for him to listen to anyone who criticizes his way of maintaining control. For as long as we have known him, he has caused a lot of trouble. I think it is time that we face that fact he is just too dangerous for us to allow him to roam free."

Mario stared at her wide-eyed in disbelief at her suggestion. "Peach, you can't be serious." The princess nodded to him. "I know that you claim him to be anything other than such, but there just hasn't been any proof that says otherwise." "Peach, it was just an accident. You can't blame him for that."

She sighed worriedly at her friend. "Mario, of everyone that has threatened the world, he has single-handedly caused you a lot of stress, physically and mentality. He completely disregards who he hurts if he can get what he wants, yet you continue to defend him. Can you explain to me why you do so?"

"Princess… I just don't think he is a bad person. There is nothing else I can say to better explain. I just know he isn't. I don't want to harm him more than I'd have to because I know I am not his sole problem."

Mario was beginning to feel uneasy about this conversation. It wasn't the first time he had received this question, and he knew it definitely wouldn't be the last. He has always avoided this question when he could and some just shrugged it off, considering it was just a hero thing. Mario, however, had some knowledge about their sworn enemy that stems much deeper than they realize. After a moment, Peach sighed and shook her head.

"I suppose your answer really wouldn't make a difference anyhow. Whether he was or not, it is now a guarantee that he will become completely savage. We better make sure that we stand our ground in this trying time." Mario nodded at her suggestion, his saddened expression giving away his actual feelings about such an idea.

"When you put it that way, I do worry about the future of the two kingdoms. With Junior gone, aside from their personal connection with him, they no longer have an heir to their throne. Because of my involvement, my brother and I will be looked at as wanted criminals and your rule will be questioned. Your people already feel somewhat threatened by the outside world. Now they will be worried and wonder if it's even safe in the kingdom they reside in."

Luigi put a hand on his brother's shoulder, hoping it would comfort him from the ominous thought he has aired out.

"Mario, that is a ridiculous thought. My people wouldn't see you that way. You have protected them for as long as you protected me. They are all grateful for the work you put in to maintain some sort of balance within this kingdom as well as others. You shouldn't be worried about such a thing."

Mario looked up at both Luigi and Peach. He was anxious about it all. He didn't want anyone to get hurt because of an incident he felt was his fault.

"I started a frenzy of rage within the koopa kingdom. They will be looking out for us now. I can only hope that we can find a solution to all of this. I don't want innocent people getting hurt because of me."

As the conversation trailed off, the younger brother looked up ahead saw something almost out of place on the beach.

"Hey, I see something over there."

Mario and Peach followed Luigi's gaze, landing their attention on a strange object that poked out of the shore. Being the curious one, Mario ran up to it with Luigi and Peach in tow. At first glance, it looked like an ordinary rock, but Mario knew better than to suggest such as his eyes came across dimly light spikes adorning the 'rock'. "It...it looks like a spiny shell."

"But aren't those rare?"

Mario nodded and Luigi stepped behind his brother. With a stroke of his arm, the red cald bro snapped his fingers and opened his palm, his pyrokinesis lighting a flame in his palm allowing him to see.

The spiny shell was green and a bit dirty from the sand. The spikes atop it have been broken and the shell was a bit cracked. A little red color was seen in blotches on the shell. Mario widened his eyes as he realized what he was looking at. "No...it-it can't be."

Mario stared at the lifeless figure he identified as Bowser Jr. The man knelt down and picked up the koopa, dragging him onto his lap. Putting an ear to the boy's chest, Mario heard a faint beating. "He's unconscious but is barely latching on. Luigi, run and get some water."

"But Mario-"

"Please, just do it. This is important."

Luigi was hesitant at first, seeing the very lifeform they thought was completely wiped out. He didn't want to believe it, but only because everyone else believed he was gone, even the father of the young child. Luigi looked at Mario, whose expression was pleading for the younger brother to do what he asked. Unsure of what this would result into, he reluctantly nodded and ran to retrieve water from the ocean.

Mario turned his attention back down to the koopa kid and opened his palm again, letting his fire give him light. Waving it over Jr. slowly, Mario scanned over the body and noted that he had some cut on his arms, parts of the front body were seared and blackened, the nails were chipped, and eyebrows & hair were singed. What horrified him and Peach was the huge gash the young koopa had on his head, blood seeming to seep out of it easily.

"My god...I could never have imagined such terrible wounds on a child. It definitely looks like something out of a thriller. With how bad this laceration is, it's a miracle he is still alive."

Peach was always fond of how knowledgeable her heroic companion could be. He once told her that he and Luigi had taken all kinds of advanced classes before coming down to the Mushroom Kingdom, which had aided them when they needed it most, mainly the medical information the helped him immediately identify a problem. While she was not too keen on the idea of saving her captor's son, she had to admit that Mario's strong desire to help others, no matter where they came from, was admirable on many levels.

Mario scanned the small child further and noticed a trail of blood. His eyes followed the drops till a large cliff was in his view. Moving the hand further down, he saw that a large chunk off the edge of the cliff had been broken off. He was completely flabbergasted when he realized how such an event came to be.

"That is a five-story cliff made from the hardest metals in this kingdom alone. Not even Bowser would have been able to chip that thing without bashing his skull in as hard-headed as he is, literally and figuratively. Just breaking that much off with an unintentional skull bash is a miracle in itself, but doing so and surviving it is a whole other story. He should be dead."

Peach also felt astonished hearing this. She looked down at the body that managed to keep its life from perishing at a tender age, wondering what part of the future this discovery would affect. The younger brother eventually returned with a pale full of water from the ocean, Mario nodding to him.

"Thank you, Luigi."

Mario grabbed a handful of water and poured it all over the wound in an attempt to wash out the sand and blood that covered it. Looking at the wound once more, Mario gently traces over the crease. He felt the rough almost dry texture of the cut.

"It looks like it sealed itself up, but it isn't completely healed. Peach, I will take him to the castle, give him some antistatics, and see if I can stitch this thing up. That way when he wakes if he wakes after I inject him, he won't feel the piercing pain that will come when he is fully conscious."

Peach gave her friend a bewildered expression.

"Mario, that is an awfully dangerous decision."

Mario shook his head. He wasn't having any of it. "Peach, I can't just leave him out here like this. That gash still has a chance of getting infected and he could die. I have to do something."

Peach knew better than to suggest something like that to the hero of her kingdom. His selfless heart kept him from considering a heartless action, especially when it involved a young child. In this instance, Bowser Jr. was a victim of an event no one had seen coming. He shouldn't be punished for an attack his father was responsible for, and for better or worse, she knows Mario would only blame himself for not doing something to help, if not for the incident itself. She realized he was right and nodded.

"Alright. Luigi and I will round up the toads and send them home. We will meet you in the ER when we are finished."

She and Luigi stood back up and began their trek back to the site of the celebration by toads who were unaware of what was going on. Mario scooped the young koopa up and started to make his way back to the castle through the forest. He was hoping he could get there in time.


End file.
